Straco Express Layout, Part 50 - Pump It Up

Read all the installments of the Straco Express layout project here.

As time goes on, it's becoming increasingly difficult to find appropriate items for the Straco Display Layout. I could keep accumulating Japanese tinplate friction cars -- the variety is almost endless, even within the strict parameters of the project. But clutter is never attractive. I'm really only looking (and only casually looking at that) for unusual items that will bring something different to the display.

Structures are even more difficult to find. The Japanese toy train sets that form the core of the display were sold as self-contained items. There are virtually no accessories for these pieces. But there were many toys made by these Japanese companies that were all about the same size that can serve the same purpose. Like the gas station.

Although this tinplate gas station was sold as is, I strongly suspected it came with a friction car. Since my purchase, I found a similar example online that I think confirms this suspicion. As you can see, the boxed example has a vehicle included.

This set would have been a really nice addition, but it was *way* over
my budget for this project.

 And note the resemblance between the boxed station and the one I bought. If they're not made by the same company, then it's possible that one company copied the other.

Construction is a little different, but otherwise, they're mirror images.

The boxed set has no indication of a manufacturer, and neither does the station that I purchased.  Nevertheless, it does add something to the display and looks pretty good with some of the smaller vehicles. The boxed set had a three-wheeled friction car with it. In the layout photos below, I also used a three-wheeled car of roughly the same size.

Total cost for the project:

Layout construction:

• Pegboard: $4.95
• Flathead Screws: $0.40
• Molding: $2.49
• SilClear: borrowed from a friend
• Green Paint: leftover  from another project
• Wood Screws: $3.60
• Felt Pads: $1.99

Power Pack: $5.90
Small Houses: $3.00
Testor's Gray Paint for road: $1.29

Bandai Areo Station: $8.99
2 tinplate signs: $1.00
4 tinplate signs (with train) $5.99
Cragstan HO Light Tower $20.49
4 nesting houses $4.99
Tinplate gas station: $5.00

Vehicles:

• Two Japanese toy cars: $2.00
• A.W. Livestock truck: $4.99
• Taxi: $2.99
• Ambulance: $2.99
• Two Japanese patriotic cars: $6.99
• Haji three-wheel sedan $3.00
• Haji three-wheel tanker $5.00
• 1950's sedan $2.99
• LineMar Police Car $9.00
• LineMar Pepco Truck $8.50
• LineMar Bond Bread Van $8.00
• LineMar Fire Engine $4.95
• LineMar Dump Truck $12.99
• LineMar GE Courier Car $10.98
• LineMar County School Bus $9.99
• Nomura Red Sedan $5.00
• Nomura Police Car $2.52
• Nomura lumber truck $3.48
• 6 Nomura vehicles $16.99
• Orange Sedan $10.99
• King Sedan $9.95
• Indian Head logo sedan $4.99
• Indian Head (?) convertible $18.00
• Yellow/red Express truck $9.99
• Red limousine FREE

Total Project Cost: $238.35